Lesson #291
Jesus continues to pray, saying: “Father, I desire that they
also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that
you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world”
(John 17:24 ESV). Justice demands that every person physically born must die an
eternal death in hell, but mercy can be extended to those God wills because
Jesus was able and willing to die for these sheep (John 10:11). These Jesus died
for, the Father gives to him as a gift and Jesus then gives each eternal life.
Jesus is looking forward to when all the sheep will be with
him in heaven, but now he is praying for those yet to come to salvation. Jesus
desires so much that they be able to behold his glory and enjoy it in bodies
that are also filled with his glory. The Father loved his Son from eternity
past and desired to express this love by selecting a bride for him from out of
the world, preparing that bride and giving her to Jesus. What a scene of beauty
and love we see here and to think it includes you and I as believers.
Jesus continues to pray for those who the Father has given
to him: “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know
you, and these know that you have sent me” (John 17:25 ESV). Jesus admits that
the world does not know the Father because it does not know or accept Jesus for
who he is. Again Jesus confesses that he knows the Father because he has been
with him for an eternity past and he confesses that we know that Jesus was sent
by the Father to purchase our salvation.
Jesus then concludes his prayer with: “I made known to them
your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you
have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26 ESV). While on earth,
Jesus declared the Father to his disciples and to others and he makes the
promise that while in heaven he will continue through the Spirit to proclaim
the Fathers name that we would know the One True God. Again he asks for the
Father’s love to be in them. God is love and as God in the Spirit dwells in us,
that love in is us. Jesus then concludes with that great concept of “Christ in
us the hope of glory!” How desperately we in the western church need to
experience that hope to draw us away from friendship with the world.
Prayer
Father, as we come to the end of another great chapter, I
want to pray again for my readers and myself. The growing number of readers
humbles me and emphasize the opportunity and responsibility I have with the
Lord and the Spirit to provide lessons to think about and to learn from. I pray
for the mind of the Lord and the help of the Spirit for me in writing these
lessons and then for the Spirit to draw more readers to come and be touched by
the word of God. I pray for the needs and trials being experienced by my
readers. I pray for God to encourage, provide endurance and steadfastness in
their walk. Father, bless them and fill their hearts with your love and
kindness of your grace.
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